News & Announcements

THAI is Primary Carrier to Transport Relief Aid to Nepal

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) is a primary carrier assisting in the transport of rescue aid to Nepal following the earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal on 25 April 2015, by supporting the government sector to send medical teams, rescue teams, and relief supplies to those affected by the earthquake.

Mr. Charamporn Jotikasthira, THAI President, said that THAI is a primary carrier to transport relief aid, medical personnel, and provide rescue assistance to people in Nepal by cooperating with the Royal Thai Government, Thai armed forces, and Thai Red Cross. THAI has prepared a two part plan that includes arranging a reservation center for those providing relief assistance and transporting cargo shipments carrying relief goods in the aircraft belly. Should Nepal request assistance from Thailand, priority aid will be given to the government and people of Nepal, as follows:

- Doctors, nurses, and personnel traveling to Nepal to assist earthquake victims - Civilian and military rescue units, as well as those from Thailand’s Ministry of Interior and Thai Red Cross. - Transport of rescue equipment and medical equipment that the government sector needs in order to rescue and provide medical assistance. - Transport relief goods from the Thai Government, with necessary items requested by the Royal Thai Embassy in Nepal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such as blankets, food, tents, medicine, first aid equipment, and water. - 200 boxed meals and 500 bottles of water provided by THAI Catering are transported daily on THAI flights for Thai people seeking shelter at the Royal Thai Embassy in Kathmandu.

As for the private sector and various foundations, THAI has set up a center to coordinate with various organizations transporting relief goods at THAI’s Crisis Management Operations Center at Tel. 02-545-3181 (24 hours a day).

THAI also assists the Royal Thai Air Force in transporting relief goods to Nepal.

THAI continues to operate normal flights on the route Bangkok-Kathmandu, one daily flight per day. Flight TG319 operates with Boeing 777-200 aircraft and departs from Bangkok at 10:15hours and arrives in Kathmandu at 12:25 hours. Flight TG320 departs from Kathmandu at 13:30hours and arrives in Bangkok at 18:15 hours.

However, on 27 April 2015, flight TG319 from Bangkok to Kathmandu was unable to land at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu due to priority landing for the rescue plane in place by the government of Nepal, whereby rescue aircraft are mainly military aircraft transporting emergency goods. As well, Tribhuvan International Airport was heavily congested, with two aircraft parked on the taxi way and lack of aircraft parking bays, and as a result flight TG319 returned to Bangkok on 01:10 hours on 28 April 2015 and departed as special flight TG3199 on 28 April 2015 from Bangkok to Kathmandu at 09:15 hours. Today’s flight TG319 departed as normally scheduled at 10:15 hours.

As telecommunication in Nepal is currently very difficult, THAI apologizes for any difficulty in contacting THAI’s sales office in Nepal. Passengers who require to depart from Nepal may make reservations and purchase tickets through the THAI office in Bangkok at the THAI Contact Center, Tel. (+66-2) 356-1111 (24 hours a day) or obtain flight information on www.thaiairways.com.